Newsletter: 8 May 2015

Tena Kotou Katoa, Talofa, Greetings to our school families

Now that the winter term is underway, we are of course well into the main learning programmes for the year and moving very quickly to mid-year assessment and reporting.  In the next week I will be posting on our website our 2014 achievement results against National Standards.  These are very impressive and worth a look. I would like to thank all the parents who came out to the two information sessions organised for you over the last week.  Firstly the Whanau Hui organised by Mrs Watkin, Mrs Williamson, Miss Ramel and Mrs Neels on Wednesday 29 April (which was very useful in collating your thoughts  and ideas) and secondly the Middle School parent information evening on National Standards, organised by Mrs Bradshaw and the Middle School team on Thursday 30 April.  This session provided a valuable opportunity for us to explain the complicated process of anniversary reporting.  Thank you to the teachers who organised both of these sessions and we hope they were useful for those parents who came along.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the PTA for their hard work last year as we marked their success with the AGM held this week.  2014 represented a magnificent effort in fundraising and we are very grateful for the items that were donated to the school as a result.  Thank you!!  Please see the 2014 Chairperson’s Report in this newsletter.  A special thank you to the people who have handed over roles in the PTA – Helen Bartrom and Zoe Heslop, and thanks to those who have put their hands up to help again and step into new roles this year. I would especially like to acknowledge and thank Kylie Ryan for her leadership and hard work as we move into another year of planning activities.  On that note, please make a note in your diaries – THE GREAT SNELLS TRAIL IS RETURNING on SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2015!!

More detail will follow about this joint venture between the school, the Board and the PTA – but if you think you would have some time to spare to help in some way, please contact Kylie Ryan on 021 301122.

Kind regards

Jill Corkin

Principal

School Diary

Week 4

• Wednesday 13 May    Mufti Day to support Tuvalu. Gold Coin or Food Item Donation (see notice on Monday)
• Friday 15 May              Dawg Day Fundraiser for Year 6 Camp. Hot Dogs $2. Juicies $1
• Friday 15 May              2:10pm Full School Assembly. Manawa 1 presenting

Week 5

• Tuesday 19 May          ICAS Digital Technologies exam
• Friday 22 May             Dawg Day Fundraiser for Year 6 Camp. Hot Dogs $2. Juicies $1

Welcome to Our New Students – we hope you enjoy your time at our school!

• Bonnie Monds – Kauri 1
• Kipp Cassidy – Kauri 2
• Noah Eritana – Manawa 1
• Hunter Simmons – Manawa 2
• Esekielu Eritana – Puriri 1

Mini Gala Camp Tongariro Fundraiser

We are delighted to announce that this Year’s Mini Gala raised at total of $1500. The aim of this Gala is to foster some appreciation in the children that it’s not just a matter of holding their hands out to Mum and Dad asking for money for camp, but that they should work to earn a contribution themselves. Year 5 students work to support the Year 6 students, knowing that they will, in turn, be supported the following year. We are proud of the way the senior students organise themselves, and the way in which the rest of the school support them.

This year $182 of the total was raised through the Hellers Sausages for Schools Scheme, Thanks Hellers!

 

 

A reminder raffle tickets are still available from Year 6 students or out the front of the school library in the mornings and afternoons. 

Year 5 and 6 Inter School Netball Zone Day

On Tuesday 5th May we sent three mixed teams of students from Nikau and Totara blocks to represent our school at the annual Zone Day, held at the Wellsford Courts. Competition was fierce, and bodies started to feel the toll after five games on the hot asphalt. Points were not taken, and the overall winner was based on Sportsmanship, for which our school received special mention. A huge thank you to Denise Le Bas, Lynn Ho, Angela Brangwynne and Vicki Savage who all helped manage teams on the day, as well as other parents who assisted with transport. Once again we are hugely proud of the way our students conducted themselves, and the skill shown. Special mention must go to Gus Holland, Lucian Teo, Sammie Le Bas, Brooke Savage and Isobelle Ferreira for their outstanding play.

PTA News

The PTA AGM was held this week, where PTA Chairperson Kylie Ryan presented the following report:

Chairpersons Report 2014

2014 saw a new PTA Executive Committee in place and a new fundraising plan.  Following a planning meeting with committee members, school management and staff a fundraising plan was put in place – this consisted of one large fundraising event to be run annually and one other fundraising event per term.

It was decided on feedback from the community that instead of having many small fundraisers throughout the year the PTA would work closely with the Snell’s Beach School Management team and Board of Trustees and jointly organise and run a joint annual fundraising event – after much discussion and organisation the Great Snell’s Trail was started. This event was developed to incorporate the school values and to engage the wider community – it consisted of numerous garage sales across the region, and ending with car boot sales and other items that were made and run by students and staff at the school. The first year bought a lot of lessons in organising such a multi-faceted event, but overall was done very successfully.  Whilst we did not raise large amounts of money in our first event, we have laid the foundation for the annual event.  Is expected in 2015 that a lot of the ground work that was completed in 2014 will be grown and used as a basis to make the event more financially successful in 2015.

Other fundraising events that the PTA were involved with included:

• Travelwise Week
• Walkathon
• Arbour Day
• Student Disco
• And selling of baked goods and drinks to students at school events.

From fundraising in 2014, along with some residual funds, the PTA donated:

• Scooter Rack $2,500
• Library Books $6,000
• Board Games and Activities for Wet Lunchtimes $1000

Total Donations $9,500

We will now start discussing with the school and committee members about what funds raised in 2015 will be used for to benefit the school community in the future.

The Executive Committee are looking for a new Treasurer in 2015. If you are interested, please contact Kylie at snellsbeachpta@xtra.co.nz

We look forward to the coming year and continuing working closing with the school and its community.

Kylie Ryan
Chairperson

We would like to thank the PTA Executive Committee, and all parents for their hard work and generous donations. The items have been well used and appreciated already.

Community Notices

Snells Beach Netball 

The Snells Beach netballers started their first grading rounds last week, bright and early at the Centennial Courts in Wellsford. Well done to all players – it was impressive to see the “seasoned pros” lead the way, showing the newest players the ropes. Grading continues this weekend. For those that are unaware, the Snells Beach Netball Club is an independent club, as prescribed by the netball governing body. THis year we have two teams – one “open” team currently being graded, and a Year 3 & 4 Team. They train on our school courts, 3:15 Thursdays. Carla Johanson, Lovetta Bayer, and Denise Le Bas have done a wonderful job preparing for the season.

Snells Beach Hockey

As with Netball, the Snells Beach Hockey Club is an independent club, which trains on our school courts, after school on Wednesdays. Players come from both our school and the Mahurangi Christian School. The Hockey teams went straight into competition mode last Saturday, on the new turf at the Warkworth Showgrounds facility. The Year 5 & 6 Strikers lost 1-9 Vs Kaipara Flats, and the Year 5 & 6 Snap Dragons lost 13-0, also to Kaipara Flats. The Year 3 & 4 team played against the Warkworth Superstars (and MAY have won 10-2), although the games are fun-focused and no scores are officially recorded. A huge thank you to Elite Windows for their sponsorship of the Snells Beach Hockey Club.